New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Tamar Orange Orchid’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Impatiens  plant named ‘Tamar Orange Orchid’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; mounded plant form; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large dark orange and light pink bi-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION: IMPATIENS HAWKERI.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Tamar Orange Orchid’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Tamar Orange Orchid’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new freely-branching New Guinea Impatienscultivars with freely flowering habit and large attractive flowers.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 2002 in De Lier, The Netherlands of an unnamed proprietaryselection of Impatiens hawkeri, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Paradise Tamana, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Impatiens wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in De Lier, The Netherlands in 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Impatiens by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since 2003, has shownthat the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Tamar Orange Orchid has not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Tamar Orange Orchid’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Tamar Orange Orchid’ as anew and distinct cultivar of Impatiens:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; mounded plant        form.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large dark orange and light pink bi-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more vigorous and larger than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants        of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the maleparent, the cultivar Paradise Tamana. Plants of the new Impatiens differfrom plants of the cultivar Paradise Tamana in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more vigorous and larger than        plants of the cultivar Paradise Tamana.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger leaves than plants of        the cultivar Paradise Tamana.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the Impatienscultivar Paradise Amoya, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Impatiensdiffered from plants of the cultivar Paradise Amoya in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens had more upright leaves than        plants of the cultivar Paradise Amoya.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Paradise Amoya        differed in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Impatiens, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Impatiens.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a top perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Tamar Orange Orchid’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowersof ‘Tamar Orange Orchid’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in De Lier, The Netherlands, in 12-cmcontainers and under commercial practice during the summer in aglass-covered greenhouse with day and night temperatures averaging 18°C. Rooted young plants had been growing for about ten weeks when thephotographs and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Tamar Orange    Orchid.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Impatiens hawkeri, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Paradise            Tamana, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five to seven days at            temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six to eight days at            temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 14 to 19            days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 14 to 21            days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; white to brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly spreading            growth habit; mounded plant form. Freely branching habit            with about seven lateral branches; pinching is typically not            required. Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 26 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 39 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 18 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1 cm.        -   Internode length.—About 5 cm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy in luster.        -   Color.—146C tinted with 178A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls of about five; simple.        -   Length.—About 10.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 4.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate with ciliation.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery; moderately glossy in luster.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 144A to 146A.            Developing foliage, lower surface: 139C. Fully expanded            foliage, upper surface: 147B; venation, 195B. Fully expanded            foliage, lower surface: 139C; venation, 182B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper            surface: 195B. Color, lower surface: 182C to 182D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rounded axillary            flowers. Freely flowering habit; usually about twenty            flowers develop per lateral branch. Flowers positioned above            the foliage and typically face upright or outward. Flowers            last about ten days under greenhouse conditions. Petals            self-cleaning, gynoecium persistent. Flowers not fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse            conditions. In the garden, flowering from spring until fall            in The Netherlands. Plants begin flowering about nine weeks            after planting.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 6 cm. Depth: About 1.8 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Shape: Ovoid; pointed. Color: Between 46A to 46B and 44C.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower in a single            whorl. Length, banner petal: About 2.5 cm. Length, lateral            and lower petals: About 2.8 cm. Width, banner petal: About            5 cm. Width, lateral and lower petals: About 2.2 cm. Shape,            banner petal: Roughly reniform. Shape, lateral and lower            petals: Broadly obcordate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Acute.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: 43B; towards            the base, 49D. When opening, lower surface: 40D. Fully            opened, upper surface: 43B; towards the center, 49C. Fully            opened, lower surface: 43D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Three; one modified into an            elongated spur. Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 8 mm.            Shape: Ovate. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Cuneate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Towards the apex, 144B;            towards the margins, 52D; towards the center, 55D. Spur            length: About 4.5 cm. Spur diameter: At flower, about 1.5            mm; at apex, less than 1 mm. Spur texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Spur color: 51A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 177C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at            anthers; filaments free. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther            color: 182D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 158D.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            1 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 158C. Ovary            color: 143A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to New Guinea    Impatiens.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Impatiens plant named ‘Tamar Orange Orchid’ asillustrated and described.